Author: folwellminneapolis

Folwell Neighborhood is 66 square blocks on the south boundary of Camden. It is anchored by Folwell Park at 1615 Dowling Avenue North and the increasingly vibrant commercial corridor of Lowry Avenue.
The Folwell Neighborhood Association was formed in 1997.

If you haven’t already, please read the following from the MN Department of Health around the Coronavirus and how to help flatten the curve. Governor Waltz has issued a Shelter In Place Mandate until May 4, 2020. Be sure you are reading correct information around the Coronavirus by Fact Checking.

Questions? Leave a message at or text 612.643.1686 or email info@folwell.org

In This Together Signs

Volunteer and donation opportunities

Organizing on a hyper local community level maybe the best way to ensure vulnerable residents are taken care of. If you are able to help volunteer your time, resources, or funds please fill out the VOLUNTEER FORM.

Donate items to the FNA Drop off location. Text 612-227.0410 to set up a time.

Community resources

This response project is organized by and able to serve Folwell residents. If you live outside of Folwell, please contact your City Council Member or Neighborhood Association (contact info below). If you live in the Camden Community, you can fill out this form for assistance.

Here are a list of updates and resources to help the community navigate the rapidly changing world we live in due to COVID-19:

The following resource list was put together by the University of Minnesota Medical School Program in Health Disparities Research. As in previous health emergencies, this crisis will disproportionately impact communities most marginalized by structural, social and economic inequities. It is broken up into useful topics including, in part, Food & Utilities, Families & Education, Employment, Housing, and Finances. It is a working document and will be updated as additional resources are identified.

The FNA is doing what we can to help organize efforts to ensure no resident is left without in a potential city wide shut down. We are communicating with local officials to organize efforts and receive updates. Responding to this national health pandemic is providing the neighborhood an opportunity to learn where our strengths are and where our growth areas are in responding to emergencies. We hope to build on this experience to create a strong strategy for whatever might come next. If you are interested in being apart of that work, please email us at info@folwell.org.

Have a talent to share?

For Drake Residents

The FNA form has now been closed as the funds available have been distributed. Pillsbury United has been brought in with greater staff capacity and more funds to assist Drake residents. For all financial assistance through Pillsbury, please contact: Jacara at jacaraw@pillsburyunited.org.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve as on of the first agencies to help release funds and get families housed. It was a pleasure and honor to work with so many of you.

FNA’s role with Drake residents

The historic Drake hotel in downtown Minneapolis experienced a devastating fire at 3am on Christmas day. We are deeply grateful that no one was hurt. Since then, residents have been housed at First Covenant downtown, at friends homes, and scattered throughout a couple select hotels.

From the beginning community members have been showing up, caring, advocating, and assisting Drake residents. Our neighbor Mysnikol Miller, who has been on the ground from the beginning as a community member helping and assisting, asked FNA to act as a fiscal agent in an effort to release funds through the Minneapolis Foundation to directly help residents.

$25,000 was released by the Minneapolis Foundation to the Folwell Neighborhood Association (FNA) on Dec. 31, 2019 to cover immediate housing needs such as direct deposits, application fees, and first month’s rent for former residents of the Drake Hotel. FNA committed to release all $25,000 for housing needs. No overhead costs or admin fees were removed from this fund. All time dedicated to these efforts have been volunteered.

FNA participated in the Red Cross MARC event on Jan. 3 -4, 2020 connecting with residents to begin releasing the funds. A form was created on our website for residents to apply and volunteers were available at First Covenant to connect with residents.

As of Jan. 18, 2020:

$20,859.27 has been distributed to 16 families. These 16 units have all been relocated into housing. This has come in the form application fee’s, direct deposits, Jan rents, prorated Jan rents and a couple Feb. rents. The closer we move to the end of January, assisting with Feb rent to provide stabilization is needed.

$9,721 has been promised through Letters of Guarantees for an additional 7 families.

We have been assisting with another 5 families who have filled out the form, but currently don’t have housing options.

FNA received an additional $7,422 in donations.

FNA has $1,842 left.

With funds running low, FNA has closed our application form. We are committed to following through with each of the families that have reached out to us. All of them are in different various stages of rehousing. If/when they are all housed and there are funds left over, that money will be redistributed to Pillsbury United. They received $250,000 from the Minneapolis Foundation to assist residents. They have greater staff capacity to provide better resident care, and larger funds to address to greater needs. FNA will be sharing all of our funding commitments with Pillsbury to assist with equitable distribution to residents. For the sake of privacy, we will not post families names whom we have helped or allocation amounts, but that list has been given to the Red Cross, Hennipen County and Pillsbury to ensure all residents are receiving the care and help they need.

Donations

The FNA is no longer collecting donations on behalf of the Drake residents. 100% of funds dedicated to Drake Hotel Residents that went through the FNA have been or will be used to support residents. FNA has not and will not take any funds from donations or grants to assist with organizing efforts or admin costs.

The Folwell Neighborhood Association and Folwell Park are excited to bring you the 2019 Annual Resource Fair and Ice Cream Social! Come join the fun on Thursday June 20 from 5-8 pm at Folwell Park over by the Park Building.

Check out all the Incredible things you will find at the Fair this year!

We are elevating things year to provide a solid three hours of community fun!

There will be tables and chairs so residents can sit, stay, and enjoy the event. Thank you to Northend Hardware for helping sponsor!

Our very own Fremont Clinic will be there as First Aid to ensure the safety of all participants.

Food

Free Ice Cream: The park was donated a ton of Diet Root Beer so Root Beer floats are available! Vegan frozen treats will also be available!

Wha’Jamacian is hosting $3 plates of incredible food! A menu set special just for Folwell: Jerk Chicken Brown Stew Chicken Steamed Veggies Medley, All Served with Coconut Basmati Rice This is cash only – purchase your food ticket at the FNA info table.

Events & Activities

For the first time ever Marcus Kar with Youth Farm is Emceeing the Xcel sponsored entertainment stage! You will experience the gifts of DJ SciPreme, David Abide Pellinen (House of Dance), Traiveon Dunlap and Unlimited & Next Level Drill & Dance Crew. It will be a solid three hours of entertainment, so make sure to bring a chair and stay for the evening

Starting at 5:30 pm: FLY UP Youth Team is hosting A Kids on Wheels event near the park Building. There will be 20 bikes ready to be fixed up and given to the first 20 kids who come.

7 pm: Kickball pick up game hosted by Squad of Players Adult Kickball League – (There is a picture on the Ice Cream Social Event page on FB if you want to grab that.)

Loppet is hosting a Free Sample Bike Adventure Course in the parking lot off Dowling.

The local Fire Department will have a rig on site so kids can get an up close and personal look and tour of the truck.

Folwell Park is sponsoring Youth Activities that include: a Video Game Truck, Inflatable Race Course, Face painters, Lawn Games and the Baron of Balloons. The Folwell Fun Factory Trailer will be coming out of retirement and making an appearance again in the Kid zone!

Vendors

More than 60 Resource Vendors will be available to chat with residents about the work they do that impacts your lives.

The Annual Folwell Resource Fair and Ice Cream Social is coming up on Thursday, June 20, 2019 from 5-8 pm. More than a thousand residents show up to the park to hang out, play games, enjoy music, and food together.

Providing tables as platforms that creates access to dozens of resources for community members is a key focus of the FNA’s largest event of the year. We prioritize space for Northside business first, but welcome any agency that provides services or opportunities for Folwell’s residents.

If you are interested in participating, please fill out the registration form to get more information and confirm a spot.

This event is free to participate in. For more questions, contact the event organizer, Dani at danielle@folwell.org.

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Folwell Neighborhood Association (FNA)

Membership in the FNA is open to anyone of legal voting age who resides in or owns property in Folwell or operates or facilitates a legal business or organization located in Folwell. Sign up for our email list to stay connected to what’s happening in the neighborhood.